Understanding what your audience is searching for is crucial for SEO success. Here’s a practical way to filter your Google Search Console (GSC) data using regex patterns to uncover different types of search queries.
How to apply the filters
- Open Google Search Console
- Navigate to “Search results”
- Click “+ New” in the filters section
- Select “Query”
- Choose “Custom (regex)”
- Paste your chosen regex pattern
Search intent patterns to use
Informational queries
Use this pattern to find how-to guides and tutorial searches:
\b(how to|guide|tutorial|step by step|tips|tricks|ways to|best way to|learn|help|explain|understand|instruction|methods|examples|meaning of|definition)\bComparison queries
Find searches comparing products or services:
\b(best|vs|versus|compare|comparison|alternative|alternatives|better|cheaper|worse|cheapest|highest|lowest|top|difference|differences|differences between)\bProduct/service queries
Discover specific product-related searches:
\b(price|cost|buy|purchase|available|best|quality|brand|reviews|ratings|features|specifications|order|discount|warranty|deal|shop|store|version|options|model|type|compare)\bTransactional queries
Identify buying-intent searches:
\b(buy|purchase|price|cost|cheap|discount|deal|coupon|order|shop|store|near me|online|sale|best price|affordable|available|in stock)\bNavigational queries
Find brand-specific and review searches:
\b(review|reviews|rating|ratings|customer service|support|warranty|return policy|refund|complaint|feedback|scam|legit|trustworthy|experience|testimonial|problems|issues)\b🌊 You won’t get lost in the data from your website. We’ll explain what your data means and how to use it to get more visitors and sales. Get a quote →
Advanced patterns for deeper insights
Location-based intent
\b(near me|in|at|locations?|directory|area|region|city|local|closest|nearest)\bTime-sensitive queries
\b(today|tonight|current|latest|new|recent|upcoming|schedule|when|hours|times|opening|closing)\bProblem-solving intent
\b(fix|solve|repair|troubleshoot|issue|problem|error|broken|not working|help with|resolved?)\bMaking the most of your findings
Pattern combinations
- Mix transactional + location patterns for local business targeting
- Combine informational + problem-solving for technical content
- Merge comparison + product patterns for review content
Seasonal analysis
Create season-specific patterns:
\b(christmas|black friday|summer|winter|holiday|seasonal)\bWhy this matters
By filtering your GSC data with these patterns, you can:
- Better understand your audience’s search intent
- Create more targeted content
- Improve your keyword strategy
- Identify content gaps
- Optimise existing pages for specific search intents
This simple technique can transform how you approach your content strategy and help you create more relevant content for your audience.
